Children's Health Services

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:15): My question is directed to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Will the minister update the council on initiatives to help children during their attendance at hospitals?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:15): I thank the honourable member for his question. The circumstances that lead somebody to attend a hospital by their very nature will often involve levels of anxiety or stress. This is particularly the case for children and that, in turn, impacts on their families. In recognition of this, SA Pathology services at the Women's and Children's Hospital have launched two very important initiatives to improve the experience of children going in for tests.

I am told that these are often blood tests, urine tests and biopsies. As I said earlier, these are daunting not just for the children but also for the family who come to support them. It was an absolute delight to be present recently at the launch of one of these initiatives, a partnership between the Women's and Children's Hospital, SA Pathology, San Diego Zoo and Adelaide Zoo. Thanks to this partnership, children attending the hospital for SA Pathology tests will have access to a video channel that includes short videos about animals and close-up encounters with them, as well as quizzes and stories based around the animals and their environment.

Children's love for animals is evident in the books their parents read them and the TV shows they love to watch. This is a fantastic way to help children through what might otherwise be a difficult experience and, in doing so, lighten the emotional burden on their families, who have to care for the children and support them through their health journey. This initiative has been in use around the world following the launch of San Diego Zoo Kids in 2013 and is now helping children in over 230 hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses in countries such as South Africa, Pakistan, the United States and Qatar.

Secondly, I would like to highlight a partnership in the waiting room for SA Pathology services at the Women's and Children's Hospital. There is a whole suite of new activities for children, again designed to reduce their anxiety and make their experience of their visit less overwhelming. The waiting room will welcome children with a walled playground, virtual reality goggles, an interactive LED floor, a Blu-ray player, new televisions and new toys.

These additions were made possible by a grant of $40,000 by Variety SA. I want to thank them for their generosity in this donation as well as thank each individual donor for their generosity towards that total sum. Their contributions will make a real difference to children visiting the hospital and their families. Together, these two initiatives are making the hospital a more welcoming place for children, and I congratulate everybody involved in delivering them.

The PRESIDENT: A supplementary. The Hon. Ms Scriven was on her feet.